Galvanic abdominal truss



(No Model.)

L. PPLE.

GALVANIG ABDOMINAL TRUSS.

No. 890,354. Patented Oct. 2, 1888.

awn W N. PETERS, P'loloiiihugrnphnr. Washington. 0. c,

llmran STATEs Parent Utmost LOUISE n'rrLn, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

GALVANIC ABDOMINAL TVRUSS.

SEPECIPICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 390,354, dated Qctober 2, 1888. I

Serial No. 277,975. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that l, LOUISE EPrLi'a, of Ohicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois,havc invented certain new and useful Improvements in Galvanic Abdominal Trusses; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear. and exact description thereof, ref erence being bad to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention is an improvement upon the construction set forth in Letters Patent No. 208,079, granted to my husband, J. V. Eppl, September 17, 1878.

My improvement has for one of its objects to make the lumbar pad flexible,so that it will adjust itself perfectly to the form of the back and will be entirely comfortable.

It has for another of its objects to provide a separate battery for each of the two arms or abdominal pads of a duplex truss, whereby the galvanic action contemplated may be ob tained through one abdominal pad, while it is suppressed at the other.

As a further result of the improvement to be described,the lumbar pad is made thinner, and therefore both less clumsy in appearance and less prominent when applied to the person.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a longitudinal central section of the duplex lumbar pad containing my improvement and a full View of one of the spring-arms,together with an inside view of the abdominal pad attached thereto. Fig. 2 is a perspective side and front View of the abdominal pad. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the connected elements of the battery, which is located in each of the several lobes of the lumbar pad. Fig. 4 is a section in the line 4 4 of Fig. 3.

A represents the duplex and flexible lumbar pad; B B, the two galvanic batteries located therein at the back of the several lobes of said pad; A, an abdominal pad, of which two are present in the duplex truss, and D one of the spring-arms connecting each of the batteries of the lumbar pad with each of the abdominal pads A. The spring-arm D is inclosed with the battery-wires p a in a body of leather or other flexible material, which conspace at their proximate ends.

fines them properly,as shown, and the ends of said wires connect with the separated posts 1 and N, which form the poles of the battery in contact with the person at the under surface of the abdominal pad A.

The batteries B B are two in number, located in the back of the several lobes of the lumbar pad, beneath the leather covering L, and distinctly separated by a considerable At this space of separation between the batteries the pad A is made thin from front to rear,forming a neck, A which is easily flexible, whereby the lobes or thicker end portions of the pad may adjust themselves perfectly and comfortably to the person without pressure upon the spine.

The elements of the battery are essentially the same as that described in said former patent-that is to say, it is composed of a copper plate, 0, and a zinc plate, Z, separated at their edges by an insulating-ring,of rubber or other suitable material,to form a central chamber,b, the plates and interposed insulating-ring being held together by pins or threads Z), or otherwise, in any suitable manner. Within the chamber 1) may be located a piece of flannel or other cloth,F,which, as shown,is embraced at its margins between the insulating-ring R and the edge of the copper plate 0, but which may be otherwise retained in place, if preferred. The two wires 1) and a are disposed in the usual way.

As a special improvement in the construction of the truss, I provide access to the inte rior of each battery-chamber b (which is to contain a dilute acid) through a central opening in the vertical rear face of the pad, this opening being stopped by a screw-plug, B. For this purpose a hole is made in the copper plate 0, into which is firmly secured a hollow stud,b projecting far enough to pass through one of a series of holes in the springarm D. The stopper B, which is shown screw-threaded into the hollow stud, is desirably provided with a folding ring, b, by which the plug B may be conveniently withdrawn and reinserted. A second stud, b, (which may not be hollow throughout its entire lengtlnas shown,) is arranged in line with the stud b, and also passes through a hole in the spring D, and the two studs together hold the spring-arm in proper line with the pad. A flat-headed screw, 6 enters the stud I).

By the division of the battery into two separate batteries, as shown and described, and by providing the flexible neck A between them, not only may the lumbar pad be adjusted to the person with increased comfort to the wearer, but one of two abdominal pads may be used under galvanic excitement while the other is inert; or, in other words, one of the batteries may be put into action while the other is idle. This is advantageous, for the reason that in galvanic treatment of hernia it is often found desirable to intermit the galvanic action.

I claim as myinvention 1. A hernial truss or abdominal supporter having a lumbar pad provided with two batteries separated by a space at the middle of the pad, which middle portion of the pad is 20 flexible, in combination with one or-more abdominal pads, each containing two poles, and with conducting-wires connecting said poles with one of the batteries.

2. A hernial truss the pad of which contains 25 a galvanic battery composed of vertical copper and zinc plates separated at their margins by an insulating substance to form a chamber for acid one of said plates being provided with a hollow stud,and a stopper fitted to the 0 stud for theinsertion and retention of the acid.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

LOUISE EPPLE. \Vitnesses:

M. E. DAYTON, TAYLOR E. BROWN. 

